The Choosen 1

Chapter 1 The truck swerved from side to side and Tom grabbed the arm rest of his sit. He felt sick and, closing his eyes for a moment, softly uttered a prayer. Nervously he cast a glance at the others, who were his fellow friends going camping for their summer vacation after what seemed to them like a long school term. None of them seemed to have noticed the reckless speed at which they were going. Gary was glued to his phone playing video games. Nyasha had earphones plucked in her ears, she would once in a while nod her head to her favorite tunes. Kyle was asleep. She had slept through half the journey. Cassie was buried in her thoughts. She had been awake the whole journey but had hardly said a word to anyone. She had not eaten too, only drank water. Tom sipped his juice to cool down his dry throat. The blistering heat made him feel exhausted. Simba was the happiest among the whole lot. He was singing and clapping in rhythm to the droning of the engine and calling praise names to the truck driver who would from time to time accelerate in acknowledgement. Tom felt alone although he was surrounded by his friends, none of them seemed to be in the truck with him except for Simba. “Maybe this camp was a bad idea after all” he thought to himself. “This is not fun” Nyasha said as she gulped half the contents of her juice. Then without warning she bent over the window and vomited. Tom was quick to offer her a towel. “Am sorry I get car sick on long journeys” she said wiping her mouth with the towel. She grabbed a bottle of water and rinsed her mouth and spit through the window. For a moment Tom thought of his parents and a dark shadow crossed his mind threatening to dampen his happiness. He quickly warded it off. This was no time to indulge in sad thoughts. The truck swerved dangerously as it took a sharp turn waking Kyle up. “Are you trying to kill us” Cassie shouted with a frown on her face. Tom knew she had a short temper, he had known her for years. “Do not worry we are almost there the driver said winding down his window. Luckily there was no dust since it had rained recently. The lorry slowed down as it drew near the Mountains. The scenery in front of them was spectacular. From a distance of a few yards, and standing on a high place they could take in the whole landscape at a glance. The mountains were large and unequally cleft in two by a wide stream partly hidden by its bushy banks. The smaller side of mountains was less vegetated. It consisted of poodles and open grass lands. A few species of wild animals roamed this land. Tom could see a pack of zebras graze near the stream bank. On the opposite larger side however, flourished a long stretch of wild fruit trees, richly dressed in green. “How far are we? Cassie asked awakening from her slumber. “Not far, we should arrive there before sunset” the driver said. His voice had a rare ascent, one of those from West Africa which had long words even for the shortest. Tom looked at his wrist watch, it was just after lunch hour one pm, sunset in this part of the country was after 6pm. He let out a sigh, he was starting to feel numb from sitting in the car for more than 5hours.” Hey can I have a battery charger” Gary said. His battery had become flat cause of the games he was playing. Tom dug deep inside his back pack and pulled out the charger. Nyasha grabbed it from him “Hey I asked for it first” Gary said reaching out his hands to Nyasha. They never got along well after their relationship ended badly. “And I was about to defeat the Zodiac monster in the third level” Gary said excitedly. “I want to use it for more important stuff not your silly games” Nyasha said as she plucked the charger onto her phone. Gary was becoming upset. His face was turned red with fury “there is no reception anyway ,your phone is totally useless to you now after all we are in the middle of a jungle” “I want to listen to my music later its why I want to recharge my battery now” “alright that’s it I have had it with you, give me that charger now before I crush your phone into a thousand pieces” Gary said as he leaned forward and was about to grab Nyasha’s phone when the driver interrupted him. “I need you all to push the car”. The car had come to a sudden halt. The driver had got out to investigate the problem. Everyone in the car was awake now. “Are we there yet?” Cassie Bennet asked. “No the car hit a rock or something and the driver asked everyone to get out of the car now.” Tom explained. “I knew coming here was a bad idea” Nyasha complained as she got out of the car. “Who do you think you are?” Gary asked with a frown on his face. Everyone knew Nyasha never appreciated anything but no one else was quick to point it out than Gary Burger. The car’s back wheels were stuck in a muddy pothole and it would require extra power to push it. “How bad is it?” Tom asked the driver. “I am thinking not to bad if you and your friends push it a little it will get off” “good okay guys you heard the man come on lets push this car” Tom said “Who made you our boss?” Simba asked Tom jokingly. Tom replied him with a playful fist in the stomach. “Okay we are ready on your call” Tom shouted to the driver. The driver got into the truck and started the engine. He raised his thumb to signal to the kids that they could now push the car. The back wheels rolled vigourasly and splashed the kids with mud. The car took off in a top speed and the driver lost control of it as it plunged downhill towards the stream. It made so much noise that it startled the zebras which were grazing near the stream bank forcing them to live the sweet grass. The trucked rolled down into the stream and slowly begun to sink up until only its headlights were visible. None of the kids heard the driver Mr Okocha call out for help from the sinking car, his voice was overshadowed by the screams, shrills and yells of the lot. “oooh my God, the driver” Kyle muttered , her face had turned white with fear. Tom, Gary and Simba raced to the stream. Tom stripped of his shirt and dived into the water. Gary and Simba broke a tall brunch from an ageing pine tree. The whole truck had now submerged into the river. The water was muddy and polluted, Tom’s vision was blurred. He could not find Okocha. A sight of floating bubbles led him to the driver’s seat in the truck. Tom found Mr Okocha lying helplessly in the car. He tried to open the door but it had bugded. After forcing himself through the window, Tom finally opened the door from the inside and pulled along the lifeless, plum chubby body of the driver against the great turbulence of the river. Gary and Simba held out the stick to Tom and he grabbed it desperately grasping for air. “Is he alive” Nyasha asked moving about nervously “We do not know yet but I think he is unconscious” Simba said with a worried look on his face. “Give him mouth to mouth” Cassie said as she helped the boys position the driver on the ground. “I have seen it work on the TV” she added. “Come on TV is fake, we have to take him to the hospital” “Look around Gary we are in the middle of nowhere, how do we get to the hospital when we don’t even know were we are?” Simba said. “Wait guys I have an idea” Klye said. “Lets hear it” Nyasha said with growing impatience. “We could call the police, they might help” “that’s brilliant” Gary said as he reached for his cell phone in his pocket. “Ah damn” he cursed “there is no network. “Mine too” Nyasha said. “Wait guys there is an emergency radio in my bag, my Dad said I can use it for emergencies” Gary said tossing away his phone. “Great where is your bag?” Tom asked with excitement. “It is in the truck, probably buried by tones of silt by now.” Cassie said as she sat onto a bare rock. “Guys what are we going to do?” Kyle asked not bothering to hide the frustration on her face. “We will try the mouth to mouth but if it doesn’t work then I guese there is nothing we can do.” Tom concluded. “Are you guys saying we are stuck with a dying man in the middle of nowhere?” Nyasha demanded. Cassie nodded and Nyasha burst into an ecstatic mode. Tom knelt before the driver and opened his mouth the other kids looked on from behind him with their fingers crossed. He blew air it the drivers mouth but the driver remained unconscious. Gasping for air himself, Tom stopped trying and sat beside the lifeless body. It was getting dark, the birds in the sky were now flying back to their nests. The sky which was currently blue was turning into dark grey lit by a large red ball of the sun which gave the mountains a spectacular view as the sun set. Cassie was brushing her blonde hair, the truck had splashed mud all the way up her head. Fortunately for her she always carried her hand bag everywhere. “We should go look for help” Gary said, his blue eyes had turned red from the sun’s heat. “We cannot live the driver here” Kyle declared. She despite all they had gone through looked splendid. Her green eyes were still bright despite the blistering heat from the sun. Her dark hair slightly licked her shoulders and looked flawless. “We can carry him with us after all we cannot stay here all night after all it is almost night fall.” Simba said displaying his muscles to everyone. He was the boldest amongst the lot. He played for the school rugby team and had a large bold chest. His biceps were round and strong. “Come on Simba do you know how far we are from the nearest hospital? You cannot carry an hundred pound man halfway across the country.” Tom reasoned. “Well what do we do now?” Nyasha asked. “We wait” Tom said confidently. “What? Are you saying that we are going to spend the night in the middle of nowhere with no food or a single blanket to keep us warm?” Nyasha asked with a raised tone. “ Do you have a better idea?” Gary asked furiously. “Guys listen up” Simba whispered. His voice was so low that Tom managed to catch it. Suddenly the place was filled with silence and Tom thought he could hear footsteps. “Someone is coming” Nyasha muttered. She was too excited “its help, they have come to help us” She said running towards the footsteps. A large hand stopped her, almost knocked her off her feet. Startled Nyasha struggled to free herself. After fruitless results she decided to scream for help instead. Her shrill attracted Tom and the rest of his friend’s attention. They ran fast as they could towards the scream. It was already dark and the woods the night looked even darker. Their tall trunks and large branches blind sighted the moon from shading its dim blue light in the forest. “I see her” Tom whispered. Sweat was drooling down his cheeks. He knelt behind a large rock and signaled for Simba to follow him. Only Simba had been able to keep up with Tom since both of them had been bitter rivals at the schools athletic competitions. “What do we do now?” Simba asked as he joined Tom behind the large boulder. “We will have to wait for others to come, those are not ordinary people holding Nyasha captive” Tom said pointing his finger towards a large company of men dressed in animal skin loins carrying traditional clubs and spears dancing around an open fire. Nyasha had been tired onto a log with bark rope and she was trying to bite her way out on the bark. “Who are those people” Cassie asked with a frown on her face. She said it so loud that one of the man stared behind casting his above the rock. “Shut up or else we will all be captured” Gary commanded. ”These are the San people” Tom concluded. He had studied Southern African history hence a grin on his face sealed his confidence. “How do you know that genious?” Gary teased. “They are carrying tall spears without shields clearly these are more for hunting since they can be thrown at an animal from a long distance. In those little side bags they are small arrows which are poisoned by either scorpion or snake poison. They are also nomads you can tell by the way they largely rely on hunting for all their food and products and I think tonight we invaded their hunting territory.” Tom said. The men stopped dancing, and started walking towards Tom and the rest of the kids wielding their weapons. Before they knew it all the five kids were surrounded by an armed group of traditionally armed bush men. CHAPTER 2 “Who are these people?” Kyle asked. She was shaking uncontrollable and her face had turned white from fear. A young man came, Tom could make out he was a teen in his early twenties. He was tall but fairly thin. His hair was kinky and long, a few sticks and bones kept it attached. He wore a loin made from cheater skin and on his neck had a necklace made from copper decorated by a crocodile tooth. On his head he wore a crown made from eagle’s feathers and lion skin. He came close to Nyasha and ran his palms softly on her cheek and looked straight in her dark brown eyes. She shrugged violently and thrust his hand away. He turned away from her and muttered a few words to the men and Tom and his friends saw themselves being led down the mountains into a rich valley which flourished with dense vegetation and wild fruits. Simba would point out to a few trees frequently and the men would pluck the fruit and hand it to him. The men carried huge lanterns that shone bright in the night and lit their paths. “Where are they taking us?” Cassie asked. “I do not know but I suggest we remain calm, it’s our only chance of getting help.” Gary said. He was calm and looked even excited. He always loved adventures, in his early years his father an archeologist would take him to the Great Zimbabwe where he would spend the whole day wondering in the ruins. “We cannot stay with these savages. They could be thinking that we are their supper.” Nyasha said trembling in fear. “We have to get away from them” “No Nyasha!” Tom said in fury “These people are human like us, besides we should be great full that they carried Mr Okocha maybe this way we will get him to hospital faster” “They could be cannibals” Nyasha declared. “Or they could be helpful” Gary said. “I suggest we wait till we reach their village and then figure out what to do then” Simba said. “What makes you think they are taking us to their village, they could be taking us to some carve for their sacrifices” Cassie said indulgently. “You watch way too many movies for an eighteen year old” Simba chuckled. “I am from Manyikaland, I understand my own mother language” Simba boasted. “Wait are you saying you understand their language?” Tom asked excitedly. “Yup” “So you can ask for help from them right” Tom said. “Tell them we need a cell phone we want to call for help” Kyle said. She was now smiling and her dimples flashed in the moonlight. “Guys come on look at how there are dressed. You cant possibly think they own a phone. I can’t ask for help from them we first have to know what they intend to do with us” Simba said. Tom’s face dampened “He is right we just have to know their intentions first”. The path whirled into a forest and became wider as they walked along. The ground was covered by mud and mud poodles were every where. The moonlight cast an eerie blue green glow in the forest up the cliffs and through the leafy underneath of the trees. The wonderful peace of the forest engulfed Tom. He looked at his friends and could tell from their silence as they walked that they too enjoyed the peace. Tom noted that that the men’s feet were bare and that they scrambled in the soft moss as they marched. He envied the feeling so much that he almost removed his own pair of the sold out Phat Pharm sneakers. The sight of the barefooted bushmen reminded him of his own days as a child when he used to play in the streets of Nkulumane barefooted with other kids from his neighbor hood. When they came to the top path, the men tried to go the way they knew but their leader forced them uphill. Uphill the paths split up into two straight along led to an open moor whilst another led between two crumbling stone walls similar to those found at great Zimbabwe only that these were still intact. The granite pillars stared out like the twin towers in America in the middle of gigantic sky scrappers. On their tops sat large statures of the Zimbabwean bird curved from quartz rock. In the middle huts made from mud thatched with grass were piled into a circle pattern surrounding a kraal. On the upper part of the village were two great huts. The first was the gathering hall for the men and elders and the second was the chief’s homestead. It was colored in red and green, paints made locally extracted from ancient tree roots. “Wow” Gary exclaimed as they entered the domain. A large group of women barely wearing anything except for torsos which covered only their genitals looked in astonishment as Tom and his friends walked into the kingdom. Old men and children were there too. The crowd grew larger and the noise became even louder. Tom and his friends were led to the chief’s homestead. The guards wore a different regalia from the worriers who had captured them in the forest earlier Tom and his friends into an isolated hut. “What is next now?” Nyasha complained as she threw herself onto a chair crafted from river reeds. “We can try escaping” Gary said as he peeped through a small round window. “None of us can fit through that” Kylie muttered. “We could expand it” “By the time one of us fit through that we would have been caught by then.” Tom said. “Simba what did the man say before he left?” “He said something about calling his father I could not hear the words clearly their Nyika is much deeper than what I am used too. I think the young man is the prince and the air to the throne of this kingdom.” Nyasha yawned “I just wish I could wakeup from this nightmare, this trip was a terrible idea now I have some prince from a barbaric tribe eying me.” Gary laughed “Relax Nyasha he won’t hurt you after all he likes you he wants to make you his princess” All the kids laughed. Nyasha dampened and buried her head into her hands. The prince came back with two bodyguards he ordered the kids to follow him. He led them down two narrow corridors. The corridors were lit by a burning fire on one end of the corridor. It led them to a large room richly decorated. On its walls hung zebra hides which gave the room magnificent color. A large steady fire was burning in the middle and around it sat a group of old men who despite their ages looked lively and vigilant. A round gourd was circulating around them and every time it landed in a new pair of hands the old man would drink from it mahewu from the gourd and pass it to the next person. A smoking pipe circulated too and the room was filled with the strong scent of tobacco. On one end of the room there was a large thrown crafted from fine wood and its rests made from ivory and fashioned with lion hide. An elderly figure occupied the throne. His hair was white potraying his long walk in life and his eyes reflected a diction of knowledge. He wore a long traditional garment made from lion skin and refurbished his attire with a set of jewels, gold bangles were thrust around his elbows and ankles and gold earrings hung from his pierced ears. On his head he wore a crown made from fine leather decorated with pure gold. On his left side sat on mats according to their ages and order his wives and on his right hand his eldest son Prince Ruwa. He was the one who had led the party that had captured them. He too had his own throne although it was not different from a wooden stool. “Are we in court for trespassing?” Gary asked as they were forced to sit down. The floor was strangely warm. It was made from cow dung. “I do not know what is going on I hardly heard a word they said.” “We are toast” Kylie declared boldly. “Don’t say that we can get through this” Tom comforted. “if anything happens to us Tom know that its your fault, you dragged us all to this trip” Nyasha yelled. Her complaining caught the attention of the chief. Prince Ruwa took the chance with open hands. He whispered softly into his father’s ears and the chief responded by summoning Nyasha to approach his throne. Nyasha reluctant to go said to Tom “This is your fault, yours”. A sad feeling emerged in Tom. He knew he had been a vital force in organizing the trip. “No I can’t let anything happen to Nyasha” he thought to himself. “No!” he said aloud in Shona as he stood on his two trembling feet. He was a fluent Shona speaker since his mother was Shona although he had been raised by his father a white person. In his heart Tom was half hoping the chief did not understand Shona. Nyasha had been halfway to the chief’s throne. She had stopped when Tom had interfered. Prince Ruwa on the other hand became furious. He motioned to the bodyguards and immediately two plumb men grabbed Tom by his arms and carried him away. Tom could see the heir argue with his father as he was dragged out of the room. He was placed into a dark small dungeon. Its walls were made of cemented granite stone. Its door was solid iron bars held together by strong animal hide. A giant guide stood at the entrance with a tall spear sharp as the lion’s tooth. The room smelt of fresh human stools and urine. Wild rats roamed the room freely. Tom sat patiently on one corner of the room covering his knees with his hands. The night had become cool suddenly and since there was no fire or light in the room, Tom felt the cold chill to his bone. After waiting for a full hour Simba walked into the room his head facing downwards. “What did you do?” Tom asked suspiciously “Nothing, I was sent with a message but I have to warn you its not good news” “Stop beating about the bush and tell me the news Simba” “Okay okay” Simba said as he sat beside Tom. “Man it is too cold and dark in here.” “Simba what news do you bring me?” Tom said impatiently. “It’s the prince he wants your head on the silver platter.” “Why? I barely did anything to him, if there is a person I defied it’s the chief not his son” Tom said with a perplexed look on his face. “Its clear Tom the prince doesn’t like you, he feels threatens by your presence in his kingdom and therefore tonight you are ought to be sacrificed to the ancestors at the holly shrine uphill.” “What?” Tom paused to catch his breath. “They can’t do that, they will get arrested and there are more than a thousand witnesses in this village” “I am afraid they can Tom” Simba said with a serious tone. “We have to figure out a plan to save you” Tom shrugged “No there is nothing you guys can do, we are helpless out here”. A guard walked in and grabbed Tom by his arm and dragged him out. Simba watched in horror as his friend was carried away to persecution. The guard carried Tom uphill. Tom’s arms were tied together by a strong bark. His feet too were tied so that he couldn’t flee. The chief and his group of advisers were already gathered at the place of sacrifice. Tom could see human skeletons laying around everywhere around him. Fear had its toll on him and he found him self shaking vigourously. A local witch doctor chanting chronicles of praise to the ancestors approached Tom and started to sprinkle goat blood on him. Tom could see a number of bones and teeth hung on his necklace. It reminded him of the general’s decoration in the civilized world. The Nyanga’ chanted more praises. Tom could tell that the man repeated some of his words. He started to ritually undress Tom starting with his white levis T-shirt which had turned cream from dirt collected on his journey. The chief, his son Ruwa and the elders looked on patiently. Then suddenly the chief motioned to the Nyanga’ to stop and immediately the witchdoctor stopped. The chief arose from his throne and stared at Tom’s bare chest in astonishment. The chief slowly raised his hands and began to track the tiger tattoo on Tom’s chest with his fingers. “It can not be the chosen one” He declared with sensation. Chapter 3 “This is absurd” Tom protested. He was sitting on a wooden stool carved by the oldest craftsman in the village. “Relax as soon as Mr Okocha wakes up he will explain everything to them and we will be on our way” Simba said as he handed Tom a gourd of water. The sun had just awakened from wherever it hides during the night but the heat was already too hot and unbearable. The wild musasa tree provided them with a cool shade. “I cannot believe that these old backward savages made us sit on some mats on the ground, we not different from you guys why do you have to sit on chairs when we do not?” Nyasha complained, her shine black silky hair was already losing its glittering color. “It is tradition , you of all people should know that.” Gary said with a wink in his eyes . “Look who is coming over” Simba warned. From the corner of his eye Tom was able to catch the intense gaze Ruwa gave him. “I think he hates you more now” Kyle said pointing at Ruwa. Ruwa was being accompanied by two guards. He unlike the day before was wearing a special crown weaved from river reads and decorated with fine eagle feathers. He chest was bare too, Tom felt intimidated by his masculer appearance. He noticed too a large scar on Ruwa’s shoulder. “The great chief requests for your presence “ Ruwa said with a bold voice. Tom stared suspiciously at his friends and Simba nodded. “you have no choice anyway” Gary said with a frown on his face. He was trying to avoid the bright sun’s rays from torching his eyes. His dark RayBan sunglasses had sunk with the rest of his clothes in the truck. “Ok tell him I am coming” Tom finally said. The village was larger than Tom had imagined. As they were walking along the women and children stared at him frantically and he would wave frequently to their delight. Ruwa led him uphill on small stone curved stones which lay lazily on top of each other. Tom had never been to this part of the village. One of the guards could read the suspicion on Tom’s face “We are taking you to the shrine, you have to be initiated in order for you to communicate with the Vadzimu” He said excitedly. Ruwa muttered a few harsh words to him and the middle aged man cowed shyly like a baby who has been rebuked by its mother. Silence dominated the rest of the journey. The stairway was curved similarilly with the hill and became steeper the higher they climbed. Ruwa would frequently stop to listen after they walked a few feet up. The windy become violent as they climbed higher and it made a whistling sound which was soothing to Tom. The scenery was breath taking from the stairway. Tom could see in the distance a river with a strong turbulence cut through the two hills to form a majestic valley. What bothered him was the absence of any modern civilization. “We are there now” Ruwa announced as he kicked off his sandals and started to clap ecstatically chanting words of praises. One of the guards grabbed a drum and began playing it in rhythm with Ruwa’s praises. Confused, Tom stared at Ruwa vehemently and a familiar voice almost knocked him off his feet “He is praising the ancestors for bringing the Chosen One” the chief said. Everyone now sat down, the chief presiding, pale and self-restrained as usual. The Nyanga, dressed in his fur regalia wished for one week of delay for Tomto be initiated as the Chosen one. The Nyanga’s manner had so much quiet propriety that objectors could only simmer in silence. “Very well” the chief said calmly setting his eyes on the Nyanga. “Come I want to show you something” he said to Tom as the rest of the council left the shrine. The chief led Tom through a tree-darkened spot. The trees were enormous. Under them grew little grass, thin and moss infested, like the sparse dandruff hair of a young man’s beard. There was kind of a path, and then a large open space. They rested on a small granite pier. The chief seemed tired from the walk. He was coughing occasionally too. Beyond it Tom could see the whole village, its farms in a terrace order at the margins of the village and a row of houses which curved uniformly with the valley. In the far distance he could see the spartial small herds of cattle graze on the vast green grass. “Tell me what you see?” the chief asked fixing his gaze on Tom. Tom was silent. He stared at the scenery again, this time with caution. He had already seen that was to see but he could still feel the brown drowsy eyes of the chief staring at him ferociously. “Your kingdom my Lord.” He replied hoping that this would please the old chief. “Wrong,” he snarled “this is our kingdom. You are part of us now,” he said. A faint smile was slowly emerging on his wrinkled face. Tom could not understand his actions. “The Nyanga for some reason not known to me has delayed your coronation but still tonight we celebrate your return” The chief muttered excitedly. “Invite all of your friends, I slaughtered a bull” he said as he turned to live. “Slaughtered a bull?” Gary exclaimed in shock. “Do you have an idea how much a bull costs. We have to put this to a stop this is going too far.” “Whatever but am not living this place without atlist one braai party.” Simba declared. “Gary is right we have to let these people know that this is just a mistake that Tom is not someone legendary hero.” Cassie said. “What if I am?” Tom interrupted “Come on Tom do you honestly believe this myth” Nyasha teased. “What about you Kylie what do you think we should do” she continued “I do not know about this but I just want to go home.” She said with a distressed look on her face. At merely sixteen, she was the youngest among the lot. Her mother would have never allowed her to go if Cassie her big sister was not going. The two sisters were identical, Kyle was more like a younger version of Cassie. They both had blonde hair and large blue eyes. “ What about the driver, we cannot go anyway until he has recovered.” Gary reasoned. “So I guess that means we are going to that party tonight” Nyasha said “We have no choice , remember when in Rome do as the Romans do” Simba cited “ I think the right term is when you in the bush do as the bushmen do” Simba corrected to the laughter of the others. “ So what are we go wear?’”Nyasha asked, “I can not keep wearing this outfit its ruined” she said tossing of her blouse. A young girl walked into the room. She was caring traditional outfits. She handed Nyasha a pearl necklace “From the prince she said shyly, he said it will do well with your outfit.” “Wow I wish I the prince had eyes for me if he is going to be sending such expensive gifts.” “ Come on its just a cheap necklace nothing to be envious of.” “ Oohh I doubt that, that thing is quite expensive my mom has one like it.” Cassie said. The day had been a short one. All day Tom and his friends had sat under a the cool shadeof the jacaranda tree and watched lazily the villagers prepare earnestly for the party. A large number clay pots had emerged from the huts and had all been gathered at the central hall. A few goats had been slaughtered and their karkasis been hung on trees all day. Dried vegetables and grain had also emerged from the small suspended granaries but what had caught the attention of the kids was the vast supply of traditional beer which had emerged from the chief’s brewery. Although it had been too hot during the day surprisingly the night was cool and calm .The drums made a harmonious sound. A group of young men and women were singing thrilling songs which could be likened to those sung at political rallies. Simba had already sprung to his feet and took to the dance floor. The chief was in a jovial mood. He was sitting in the middle on his majestic throne. Tom sat besides him and Ruwa sat on his right side as the crown prince. He unlike his father seemed tense and uneasy. The elders completed the circle. A small space had been left unoccupied. Tom had been told that this was where the chief’s wives would sit. In the middle a